


Two Years Later

by sammysouffle



Category: Hollyoaks
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Attempt at Humor, Fluff, Future Fic, Gen, Liam Lives, M/M, Mentions of psych ward, Past Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:14:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23307385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sammysouffle/pseuds/sammysouffle
Summary: It's been two years since the events of The Devil's Dinner. Liam's back from a psych ward and James has a chance encounter with him in the village.
Relationships: James Nightingale/Liam Donovan, Liam Donovan & James Nightingale
Kudos: 14





	Two Years Later

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know what's gonna happen tomorrow but I have so many headcanons about these two and I wanna write them before tomorrow's episode breaks my heart.

“Hey.” 

James’ breath catches in his throat when a hooded figure appears from the dark village archway. 

“Liam,” he whispers when a sense of recognition hits him. “Still fancy creeping around the village, I see.” 

A half huff and half-laugh that James was oh so used to leaves Liam’s lips. When he gets closer, James notices the beard covering his once clean-shaven face. It makes James’ heart flutter, but he chalks the feeling up to a side effect of seeing an ex-lover more than anything else. 

“I was actually planning to come to you tomorrow.” James raises his eyebrows in both confusion and surprise, only to have Liam quickly add, “To say thank you. I know you had a big part to play in my being sent to a psych ward as opposed to the prison.” 

“And where might you have heard that?” 

“From my solicitor,” Liam tilts his head to the side, watching James with a curious glint in his bright blue eyes, “Was that supposed to be a secret?” 

James curses under his breath. He asked Verity for her discretion but it seems her loyalties lay with her client than her acquaintance. “No, it wasn’t,” he lies. “So what brings you out here in the middle of the night?” 

Liam chuckles at that, “As a man who’s just been released from a psychiatric ward after 2 years, getting fresh air in the middle of the night should be the least weird thing I do. I suppose the better question is, why are you out here?” 

James buries his hands into his joggers, mirroring Liam, and lets out a humorless laugh. “I suppose it is,” he mumbles under his breath. “I needed to do some…  _ thinking _ , which I, unfortunately, would not have been able to do in the confines of my flat surrounded by my very nosy family.” 

“Oh?” Liam asks as he starts walking towards the road that leads out of the village. 

James had no intention of leaving when he first came out here tonight, but he falls into step with the other man anyway. “I am not entirely sure if you are the best person to speak to about this.” Liam throws him a slightly hurt look so James is quick to assure him by saying, “Given our history, I mean.” 

“The history where I took you and three women hostage, after kidnapping your boyfriend and then forced the four of you to play my sick, twisted games?” 

James is taken aback by Liam’s straightforwardness, but then again, he had never known the man to be anything but. “No,” James sighs. “I mean our  _ other  _ history.” 

Liam’s eyes furrow but then they light up as the realization hits him. “Oh. Right.” 

James licks his lips as he considers whether he should confide in Liam or not. Liam always knew the right thing to say but he hasn’t known the man for the past two years and they did not exactly part on the greatest of terms. After a few moments of contemplation, James pulls his left hand out of his pocket and sticks it out towards the other man. 

Liam stops in his tracks, forcing James to stop with him. He looks dumbfounded for a second but then recovers as quickly. “I- I guess congratulations are in order.” 

James pulls his hand back and examines the platinum band around his left ring finger. “Yup,” he lets the ‘p’ pop in the end. “Coincidentally, I got the proposal today.” 

“Seems like John Paul did not want to take any chances, knowing I had returned to the village.” Liam’s lips twist into a smirk, that reminds James of the old self-assured, flirtatious Liam. 

He almost misses the name of his supposed fiance but then shakes his head when he remembers who Liam assumed it was. “Wow, John Paul. Haven’t heard that name in- well over a year and a half” 

“So it’s not him?” Liam asks. Confusion, obvious in his voice. 

James starts walking again and this time Liam falls into step beside him. “No, it’s someone else.” 

“Someone, I know?” 

“I don’t think you would,” James admits. “He hadn’t been here long while you were here. Besides, you would not approve if you knew his choice of career.” 

“Why? Is he a chicken farmer?” Liam asks

A deep, throaty laugh escapes James. He doesn’t quite remember the last time he laughed this hard. “A chicken farmer? Do you  _ really  _ see me marrying a  _ chicken farmer _ ? And hold on-” he stops once again and turns to look at Liam. “Why would you not approve of a chicken farmer, anyway?” 

“I hate chickens,” Liam replies with a shrug of his shoulders. “I spent most of my life in London, James. The only chickens I ever saw were dead and frozen. Imagine my surprise when I moved out here and saw one with an actual head, feathers, and claws of demons themselves That’s terrifying is what it is..” 

James’ hunches over as loud howling laughs burst through him. “I- I jus-”. 

“Well, I am glad you find my phobia funny, James.” 

James stands up straight again and moves his arms in front of him in a placating gesture but he notices that Liam has actually been looking at him in amusement. “I- I’m sorry,” James finally gets the words out as his laugh starts to die down. 

“Oh no, by all means,” Liam urges him on. “I like this new James. Courtesy of the mystery fiance, I guess?” 

James clears his throat and decides to hide the fact that he’s ever actually laughed with his fiance like this. “Trust me, he’s no mystery to anyone in the village.” 

“Ahhh… only to me then,” Liam says cocking an eyebrow at him. “What? Scared I will steal him?” He asks, “Trust me, I have no interest in stealing anyone’s boyfriend or fiance or getting into any sort of trouble. My time solely belongs to Iona and Iona alone from now.” 

James doesn’t know why but that tugs at his heartstrings slightly. He again chalks it up to another side effect of seeing the ex. “He’s a police officer,” he blurts out before Liam can say anything else. He feels rain droplets on his face but ignores it, instead, waiting with bated breath for Liam’s reaction. 

“Oh,” Liam says after a few seconds. “I better stay clear of you then.” 

There’s a loud crackle of thunder and soon rain starts pouring over them as if on cue. 

James feels the shift in Liam’s personality. He even takes a step back and pulls the hoodie over his head much to James’ disappointment. “Um- we should-” he points in the direction of the village as the rain drenches his clothes. 

For the first time, James realizes just how far they’ve come from the village. ‘Shit,” he whispers under his breath when he realizes he was simply wearing a knit jumper. 

Liam seems to notice his predicament as he takes off his only hoodie. He holds half of it over his head and nods at James to come closer. 

“You don’t have to do that, I can just use my jumper-” 

“Don’t be an idiot, James. Your jumper will get heavy real quick. Now get in here,” Liam says as the rain drenches through his t-shirt. 

James tries not to think too much about the fact that Liam was willing to get cold and wet only to make sure James didn’t have to carry a heavy jumper over his head. James gets close enough Liam and bends his head down enough so that Liam doesn’t have to hold his arms up too high. He offers the man some of his body heat by standing close enough so that their arms brush against each other. 

Back in the village, they run right to the abandoned bus stop by the archway and stand close to each other as Liam shakes his hoodie to get some of the water out. His hair sticks in different directions, making him appear almost-  _ adorable _ . And that’s not a word James ever thought he’d use for Liam Donovan of all people. 

“Thank you,” James mumbles bumping his arm against Liam’s. 

Liam shrugs on his wet hoodie as he says with a sly smile, “Maybe I am just trying to stay in your good books now that you’re engaged to a copper.” 

For a moment there James had forgotten about his engagement. He looked down at the ring to see it was still there. “Oh. Right.” He says with a fake chuckle. “The rain is dying down. I suppose I should head back home now,” he adds as the pouring rain turns into a light drizzle. 

“Goodnight, Liam.” 

“Hey, James!” 

James stops in his tracks when he hears Liam yell after him. He turns around to find Liam still standing at the stop with his hands in his hoodie pockets. “You said you came out here to clear your head, which I assume had something to do with your engagement. Are you not sure about it- or your copper fiance?” 

Taken aback by the question, James opens and closes his mouth a few times but then offers him a fake smile. “Oh, no. I guess I was just a bit surprised is all and needed to process such big news. But I am okay.” 

If James’ life was a movie, an omnipresent narrator out there would respond, “He  **wasn’t** _ okay _ .” 

**Author's Note:**

> Someone told me about the old Liam's chicken phobia so I had to include it here lol
> 
> Anyway, if Liam survives the Devil's Dinner Party then I might add more to this.


End file.
